Collapsible toilet



April 26, 1932- o. c`. K. HuTcHlNsoN E1' AL 1,855,714

COLLAPSIBLE TOILET Filed Deo. 5, 1929 Patented Apr. VZ6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE:

OLIVER C. K. HUTCHINSON, F r.AIdlOlhL AND LISLEk M. ALBRIGHT, 0F 1!V`.A.`b`l'l10N,Vdv

' ILLINOIS d y coLLAPsIBLE TOILET Application led December 5, 1929. Serial No. 411,740. y

This invention relates generally to toilets, and more particularly toa portable and collapsible toilet of a character adapted for use4 by persons who are ltraveling inconveyances, such as motor vehicles, aeroplanes, etc.,- which Y. arenot usually provided with toilets, `the pre g dominant object of the invention being to provide a simple device ofthis type which,

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when set up in position foruse, provides ay durable structure wellQadapted for the use intended, and when collapsed is reduced to 'a compact unit of minimum dimensions,

' vention.

f `l24`ig.2 is an inverted A plan view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section on line Fig. 4 is a fragmentaryvertical section on i a reduced scale, showing more clearly the flaps of the inner container of the device. 5

Fig. 5 illustrates the invention in collapsed Y form.

. proved collapsible'toilet which comprises a,

' end portions of said sections of tubing arev In the drawings, wherein is shown forL the.v

purpose of illustration, merely, one embodiment of the invention, A designates our irnring seat 1, preferably, though not necessarily, oval in shape as illustrated in Fig. I2.

The ring seat l is preferably substantially U-shaped in cross-section, as shown clearly..

in Figsfl and 3, and is provided with a plurality of elements 2 which extend transversely of the annular body which provides the lring seat. The elements 2 preferably.

comprise sections of tubing extended through openings formed through the down-turned portions of the ring seat, and the opposite upset or riveted over in contact with the adjacent faces of the ring seat, as indicated in A Fig. 2 at 3, to securely iiX said elements to said ring'seat.'V AWe prefer to provide the downwardly 'extended portion of the ring seat 1 with ears 4 (Fig. l) at the locations ofthe elements 2 so as to allow more room for the formation of the holes in the'seatringl and the arrangement of the elements in said'holes. 5 and 6 designate thelegsf or supporting elements of the collapsible toilet A, said legs being formed preferably yofheavy Wire, or

rods, which are bent tothe desired shape. The legs 5 vand 6 are hingedly attachedv to the ring seat l by having. :the opposite upper end portions ofpeach lthereof coiled vor twist- 'ed` about a pair of the elements 2 which are located4 in diametrically opposed relation in Fig. 2, and said legs are so arrangedv that thelower portions 5 and thereof cross eachother, as illustrated kclearly in Fig.

The lower portion 5 of theleg 5 at its approximate center is provided with a depression or seat 7 in which a portion 8, located atthe approximate centery ofthe portion 6 of the leg 6, seats when the legs 5 and 6 are intheir uprightposition, as illustrated in Figs. land 2.` The material of which the legs 5 and 6 are formed possesses suiicient resiliency to permit the portions 5 and AGfthereof to yield when said portions are brought togeth'er to arrange the legs in the operative upright positions, so that the portion 8 of the `with respect to each 0ther,`as indicated at 2 floy leg6 may pass over the raised portions of the leg 5 at .opposite sides of the depression 7 thereof andsnap into said depression. When the portion 8 ,of the leg fis in` place in the depression 7 as described, it is obvious `that the legs 5 and 6 will be firmly `and positively locked together in rtheir upright positions and may not be moved totheir collapsed positions without iirst designedly disengaging y the portion 8 of the leg 6 from the depression 7 of the leg.5. n

Supported by .the ring seat l of the collapsible toilet Ais an outer receptacle 9, whichv is preferably formed of fabric treatedto render same waterproof. The body of the receptacle 9. is suspended within the ring seat 1, as shown inFigS. l and 4, and the outer edge portion of saidV receptacle iis shaped to vclosely embrace said ring seat in a manner to' completely cover same,.as illustrated .in the views referred to. To prevent the outer receptacle fromy being accidentally disengaged from the seatring 1, we provide snit-` f Located within the outer receptacle-ofthe deyice is an innercontainer 1l, which preferably is made of paper or equivalent material, treated to render same waterproof. The

body portion of the inner container 11 preferably is of such shape that it will fit closely within the outer receptacle Land said inner container is provided with a plurality of Vflaps-l2 at'its upper marginal edge,which,

d when the device is in use, are bent over the ring seatlv and extend downwardly with relspect to said ring seat, as shown in Fig. l.

After use of the device, .the iaps l2 of they inner container may be drawn upwardlyfinto contact with eachother, as illustrated in Fig.

4, and if desired Atwisted together, and the inner container may vthenv be disposed of in any convenient manner.

When the device is not 1n its upright operative position,as illustrated'in Fig. l, it is collapsed so that the legs' and 6 assume the positions in whichthey are illustrated in Fig.

5. The legs 5 and 6 are moved to the inoperative or collapsed position by simply moving the portion 8 ofthe leg '6 out of engagementwith the depression or seat 7 of the leg 5,

f after which said legs are moved to the hori zontal positions in which they are shown in Fig. 5. The outer receptacle 9, being'formed of fabric, may also be caused to assume a flat condition and therefore the device in its c ollapsed condition will occupy very little space fand maybe stored away in totally inconspicuous places until again'desired for use.

' While We prefer to employan inner con- 'i tainer 11 which is provided withv flaps 12, we

' may if desired dispense with the'use of these flaps, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the use of an inner container providedA with flaps. v

We claim: l. A device of the character described, comprising a ring seat, a receptacle supported by said ring seat, and substantially U-shaped legs hinged-to 'said ring 'seat and shaped to provide a base for the device, said legs hav- 'ing portions which are adapted to' yieldably seat to positions where they are substantially engage each otherin crossed relation and be' lng swingable 1n the form of integral U-shaped units while'attached to said ring in the plane-of the ring seat.

2. A device of the character described, comu prising a ring seat, a receptacle supportedA by 'said ring seat, legs hinged to said ring V.seatl ported by said support, an innercontainerof and shaped to providera base for the de? .vice,V said legs having yieldable portions,

which are Vadapted tobe arranged in crossed legsbeing swingable in the form of integral .'U-shaped units while attached to said ring seat to positions where they are substantially in the plane of said ring seat.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a ring seat, a receptacle supported by said ring seat, legs hinged to said ring seat and shaped to provide a base for the device, said legs having yieldable portions which are adaptedv to be' arranged in crossed relation and means forming parts of said portions whereby saidlegs are locked together to preventaccidental displacement` thereof from their operative positions, said means comprising a seat formed inV one of said legs in which a portion of another leg is seated and:v said legs being swingable in the form of integral U-shaped units while attached to said ring seattopositions where they are substantially in the plane of said ring seat.

4.' A device of the character described, com `90 prising a ring seat, a receptacle supported by said ringl seat, substantially U-shaped legs hinged Vto said ring l'seat and shaped to provide a base for the device, said legs havin yieldable portions which cross each other,"

and means whereby said legs are locked together to prevent accidental displacement thereof from their operative positions, said means comprising a seat formed in thev cross-A ing portion of one of said legs in which 315100 portion of the crossing portion of another leg seats and said legs being swingable in the form of integral U`shaped units while attached to said ring seat to positions where" they are substantially lin the plane of said ring seat.

n 5. A device of the character described, comprising a ring seat, a receptacle supported by said ring seat, substantially U-shaped legsM hinged to said ring seat and shaped to provide a baserfor the device, lsaid legs having Y yieldable portions which cross each other, means whereby'said legs are locked vtogether to prevent accidental displacement thereof,A

from their operative positions, said means 15 comprising a seat'formed in the crossing portion of one of said legs in which a portion of the crossing portion of another leg seats, and fastening devices whereby said receptacle. is secured to said ring seat, said legs being swingable in the form of integral U-shaped units while attached to said ring seat to positions where they are substantially in the plane of said ring seat.

6. A device of the character described,com- .125

prising a support, an outer receptacle suptainer whereby Vsame may be conveniently 13 handled, said support comprising a ring seat, substantially U-shaped legs hingedly attached to said ring seat and shaped to provide a base for the device, said legs having yieldable portions Which cross each other, and means comprising a seat formed in the crossing portion of one of said legs in which a portion of the crossing portion of another leg seats whereby said legs are locked together to prevent accidental displacement of said legs from their operative positions, said legs being swingable in the form of integral U-shaped units While attached to said ring seat to positions Where they are substantially in the plane of said ring seat.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing We hereunto afHX our signatures.

OLIVER C. K. HUTCHINSON.

LISLE M. ALBRIGHT. 

